Compare towns
Brookfield vs Strafford vs Marlow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Strafford has the most people working from home (16.1%).
Marlow has the most affordable homes ($325k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Brookfield | Strafford | Marlow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 567Lowest |
1,372Highest |
855 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.1±9.7Highest 49% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7Lowest 32% above U.S. |
52.8±11.7 36% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and Marlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 8.6%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Marlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 38.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Marlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookfield and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,406±$31kLowest about the U.S. average |
$110,833±$19kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$110,455±$12k 37% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Marlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $428,000±$61k 29% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$325,400±$49kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Strafford and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,154±$160Highest 18% below U.S. |
| Marlow and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,926 90% above U.S. |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
$5,826Lowest 87% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 44.6%±48Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
18.2%±95.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Strafford and Marlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 3% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 33% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.7%±6.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Strafford and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Strafford School District | Marlow School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.